Grangemouth Oil Refinery Closes After 100 Years, All Refining Ends in Scotland

Scotland's last remaining oil refinery at Grangemouth has officially ceased operations after over a century, resulting in more than 400 job losses as refining activities end and the site transitions into a fuel import terminal. Petroineos, the plant's owner, invested £50 million to convert the site for importing finished fuels, which will now be distributed across Scotland and the UK. The closure has sparked concerns about local employment and the country's energy security, with unions and politicians criticizing the lack of a robust industrial strategy and urging further government intervention. Both the UK and Scottish governments have offered financial support for new projects at Grangemouth, but proposed plans would only recover about half of the jobs lost. The Unite trade union has labeled the closure an act of 'industrial vandalism' and called for nationalization, while discussions continue on securing the site's future through investment in new technologies. Despite the challenges, Petroineos and government officials have commended the workforce's professionalism during the transition.